Svenja Wortmann is the first female managing director in the 25 years of DC Aviation’s existence. She joined the business aviation industry in 2006 through DaimlerChrysler, where she started in the mergers and acquisitions department. One of the projects she worked on was the sale of DaimlerChrysler Aviation, the company’s flight department.
“I can still remember the first time I walked into the DC Aviation hangar and how I was immediately enthusiastic about the company and the various aircraft,” she says.
“And once I was hooked, I never lost my fascination for business aviation.
“In 2007, I finally started working for DaimlerChrysler Aviation where I have held various positions and have now been appointed managing director together with Marc Ambrosius since August 1, 2024.”
Before being appointed as one of the company’s two managing directors, Wortmann served as vice president of project and contract management, coordinating the negotiation and conclusion of contracts with DC Aviation’s clients, subsidiaries and aircraft transactions.
“In December 2023, I became an authorized signatory of DC Aviation and took over responsibility for the marketing and PR division and the function of directrice générale of DC Aviation G-OPS in Nice, France.
“In addition to our locations in Stuttgart, Munich, Malta, Dubai and San Marino, we are also present at Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, one of the most important airports for business aviation, with our own FBO since January 2023, which we operate together with our French partner G-OPS. These tasks continue to be part of my responsibilities,” she says.
Career highlights
Wortmann says that every new client acquisition, every contact and exchange with clients that leads to a successful collaboration and every completed aircraft transaction are true highlights of her daily work, but if she were to give a particular personal high point, it would be the coordination and subsequent winning of the tender for the FBO at Nice Airport. “That ultimately led to the founding of DC Aviation G-OPS so that was a great joint success,” she says.
The multinational DC Aviation Group recently celebrated three anniversaries explains Wortmann. 25 years of DC Aviation in Germany with stations in Stuttgart and Munich, 15 years of DC Aviation Malta and 10 years of DC Aviation Al-Futtaim in Dubai.
“Our strategic locations in Nice with DC Aviation G-OPS and in San Marino further extend our reach in key regions, including Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa.
“Over two decades, the Group has developed into a leading aviation company characterized by integrated services and the highest standards of safety and quality,” she says.
The services DC Aviation offer include aircraft management and charter services as well as business-jet maintenance, hangarage, handling and consulting services. “These are all provided by our own long-time experienced and continuously trained personnel,” explains Wortmann. “This one-stop-shop for business aviation services with an integrated aviation operation providing the highest levels of safety and quality is what characterizes us and always makes us a reliable partner for our clients.
“With more than 120,000 event-free flight hours on record, we can show a spotless safety balance over the 25 years of our existence, further demonstrated by the fact that we are one of the few companies in the sector that have both IS-BAO certification for flight operations and IS-BAH certification for ground/FBO services.”
Wortmann believes there is a passion within the Group and among their employees not only for business aviation, but also for DC Aviation and its values. “Many of the employees have been here for a long time and have an emotional attachment to the company. They take pride in what they do and believe in DC Aviation’s values of integrity and the highest standards of safety, quality and customer experience,” she says.
According to Wortmann, one of the biggest challenges currently facing the private aviation sector is the rapid pace in which the world is developing technologically, economically and geopolitically. “Individually or collectively, these are challenges that the private aviation sector has to deal with,” she says. “Inevitably, they also offer opportunities if we have the courage and expertise to seize them.
“I also believe that the future will be characterized by sustainable growth, which includes the industry’s challenges in regards to sustainability innovation, from new aircraft technology to environmentally responsible practices, such as the challenge around sustainable fuel. This also entails how business aviation itself is perceived in Europe.
“The US sector uses convincing arguments here, such as the fact that business aviation is not just about flying for pleasure, but is more about efficiency, serving the interests of a company and thus also generating revenue for the overall economy,” she says.
Greener trends
Wortmann states that one of the biggest trends she’s currently seeing in the sector is the awareness of greener travel. “Environmental awareness is now driving the decisions of travelers and businesses alike,” she says.
“We are aware of our higher impact on the Greenhouse Gas emissions levels due to our business model. However, we are not discouraged by this fact, as we are undertaking great efforts to make a substantial positive contribution to protect the environment. Our company has set itself ambitious sustainability targets to reduce our carbon footprint along the complete supply chain,” she says.
“DC Aviation in Stuttgart participates in several emission trading schemes and offsets over 65% of its CO₂ emissions annually. In Malta, for example, the voluntary Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) registry of Associated Energy Group is utilized, allowing DC Aviation to offset the portion of the Group’s emissions resulting from fuel consumption at Malta International Airport through a chain-of-custody booking and claim model. This allows us to offer our clients an alternative to the traditional model of reducing emissions through carbon credits. In Dubai our colleagues are participating in projects, supporting the manufacturing and distribution of SAF in UAE. Our ambitions are to go over the mandatory SAF uplift quote of 2 % from 2025.”
DC Aviation has already converted its entire ground fleet at various locations to fully electric vehicle models for passenger and crew transportation on the apron. All ground handling equipment has also been converted to electric drive, which is in line with the company’s full commitment to reducing emissions.
“Our company sees the potential to make an impact even with smaller changes in our business, such as organic cosmetics on board, reducing food waste by planning catering orders mindfully and utilizing only reusable tableware and food storage containers. We’re also reducing our energy consumption by changing the lights in our facilities to LED and minimizing the number of shipments of goods and components by an advanced logistical planning for our maintenance facility. With these initiatives, we aim to lead by example and drive positive change in the business aviation sector by demonstrating our commitment to environmental protection and sustainability,” she says.
Leadership
Wortmann cites a positive working environment as being the most essential factor for team success. “I see my role as playing an active part in this by setting a good example and demonstrating integrity, professionalism and ethical behavior,” she says. “These principles inspire trust and respect in the teams and promotes a positive working environment. This includes clear and unambiguous communication and empowering and trusting team members to take responsibility for their tasks by delegating authority and granting autonomy.”
The future is looking bright for DC Aviation as Wortmann explains: “We have some exciting developments in every area of our service spectrum,” she says. “Be it the technical inspection, acceptance and phasing-in of additional aircraft for our clients, the completion of current and upcoming aircraft transactions, the conclusion of further and also extensive maintenance events, such as the recent cabin connectivity project on an airliner aircraft for one of our customers, as well as the acquisition of new clients for the handling and the operation of their business jets at our stations in Stuttgart, Munich, Dubai, Malta, San Marino or Nice.
“DC Aviation is a quality operation. It is what our company’s reputation is built on, and it is what our customers trust, there is no compromise or mediocrity from us. Our aim is to make every travel experience unique, seamless, safe and discreet for our customers.
“Working in aviation is more than just a job. It often requires a high degree of flexibility and resilience, but once you are drawn in to business aviation, it never lets you go.
“It is a very dynamic environment with extraordinary people who work in it. It is not the right job if the sole motivation is to get paid at the end of the month. It is also a lot about attitude. You can learn skills and gain expertise, but you also must have a passion for aviation and a high customer service ethos,” she says.
“You should always keep your eyes open for opportunities and not be afraid to take them. Every opportunity is a chance to grow and develop your skills. Business aviation offers a variety of paths and specializations. You just need to be ready for a dynamic environment where you can grow personally and professionally,” she says.
